Operating mechanism for washing machines



J. LEADER, T. LITWILLER, AND B. E. GETZ.

OPERATING MECHANISM FOR WASHING MACHINES.

PatentedJune 6,1922.

' 3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

APPLICAHON FILED FEB. 7, 1920 J. LEADER, T. LITWILL ER, AND B. E. GETZ.

OPERATING MECHANISM FOR WASHING MACHINES.

APPLICAHON FILED FFB.7,1SI20.v

1,418,295, Patented June 6, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

J. LEADER, T. LIIWILLER, AND B. E. GETZ.

OPERATING MECHANISM FOR WASHING MACHINES.

APPLICA'IIOII FILED FEB. 7, I920. 1,418,295., e e J n 6, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- INVENT'OI? UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN LEKDER, THOMAS LITWILLER. AND BENJAMIN E. GETZ. OF MORTON, ILLI- NOIS. ASSIGNORS TO GETZ POWER WASHER CO., OF MORTON, ILLINOIS, A CORPO- RATION OF ILLINOIS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 6, 1922.

Application filed February 7, 1920. Serial No. 357,027.

T 0 all whom. '1' 6 an ay con cern Be it known that we. JoIIN LEADER, TIioMAs LrrwiLLEu, and BENJAMiN E. GE'rz, citizens of the United States, residents of Morton, in the county of Tazewell and State of Illinois, have invented new and. useful Improvements in Operating Mechanism for Vashing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to operating mechanism for washing machines, and particularly for use in connection with washing machines employing a tub of the rocking type.

()ne of the objects of the invention is to provide new and improved mechanism for oscillating the tub from a motor, including means for connecting and disconnecting the tub from the motor.

The invention has for a further object, to improve thedriving means for rocking the tub, including a member manually movable into and out of clutch engagement with the tub, or with frame parts thereof.

A further object of the invention is to improve the manner of mounting the motor on the machine frame, so as to relieve the .jar to the frame, and which also serves to tighten the driving belt from the motor to the driving shaft.

That the invention may be more fully understood. reference is had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of the description and showing a preferred embodiment of the invention, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation looking at one side of the machine, parts being removed and other parts broken away;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view, as the same would appear if taken on. the line 2-2 Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of one side of the rocking tub and frame work secured to one side thereof;

Figure 4 is a detail cross-section, in plan, as the same would appear if taken on the line 4-4, Fig. 1;

Figure 5 is a detail cross-section, in plan,-

as the same would appear if taken on the line 5-5, Fig. 1;

Figure 6 is a side elevation of a part of the machine frame and supports for working parts;

' Figure 7 is a plan View partly in section,

as the same would appear taken on the line 7-7 Fig. .1, and

Figure 8 shows opposite elevations of the motor support and belt tightener.

Like characters of reference denote corresponding parts throughout the figures.

The machine frame proper includes the four corner posts or legs 1 connected at their I upper ends by the cross-pieces 2, and at their lower ends by the cross-pieces 3. These legs are preferably bowed outwardly at 4, near their upper ends to enlarge the area of that part of the machine in which the rocking tub 5 is mount-ed and housed. All four sides of the machines are preferably enclosed by wall shields, not shown. To opposite pairs of legs 1, castings 6 are connected, which form the journal supports in which trunnions 7 of the tub 5 are j ournaled. Each casting 6 is formed with a hub 8 and with diverging arms 9 secured to opposite legs 1 on the same side of the machine. The casting 6, on what is known as the front side of the machine, is provided with opposed lugs 10, for purposes to be explained. Referring now to the tub 5, which preferably has the contour shown in Figs. 1 and 3, there are secured to its front and rear walls, castings 11, each formed with trunnions 12 adapted to have bearing in the hubs 8 of the frame castingfi. Each of said castings 11 are further formed with the vertically depending arms 13 formed at their lower ends-with the bosses 14 designed to receive the cross-brace bar on rod 15 carried across and beneath the tub 5, see Fig. 2. The casting 11 on the front wall of the tub 5, is composed of a plurality of spider-like arms 15 to two of which are connected opposed lugs 16, which function with the lugs 10 on the frame supporting casting 6 to connect similar parts, to be referred to. Connecting two of said spider-like arms 15 is an up and down cross-brace 17 formed with an opening 18 therethrough. This cross-brace and its opening functions as one member of a clutch to connect the tub to the motor, and co-operatin therewith is a. slidable clutch pin 19, see igure' 5. The axis of the clutch pin and opening 18 are preferably in the same horizontal lane with the axis of the trunnion 12, w ich is the normal position of the parts when the tub is inactive, and is so held by equalizing springs 20, the outer end .of each coupled to a lug 16 on the casting ll secured to the tub 5, and the inner end of each. coupled to a lug 10 on the casting G forming a part of. the supporting frame. The action of these springs, it is believed, is well understood. \Vhen the tub is rocked in one direction, one spring is expanded while the other is contracted, and vice versa, when the tub is rocked in the opposite direction. llowevcr, the normal tendency of the springs is to maintain the tub in a substantially level position and to return it to such position when rocked in either direction tlwrefrom.

The clutch pin 19 is slidably operative through a bearing 21 formed in the body of a crank-arm 22 fulcru ined on the trunnion 12 connected to the front of the tub, see Figure 5, and the outer end of said pin is formed with a socket 23 to receive a ball 24 on the end of a lever arm 25, pivotally connected approximately mid-way its length to ears 26 projecting laterally from the body of the crank-arm 22. The other end of said lever arm 25 is formed with a bifurcation 27 in which is operatively connected a pin 28 connected eccentrically to the inner end of. an operators rod 29, extending to the outside of the frame and formed with a crank 30 to be gripped by a person for reciprocating the clutch pin 19. The inner end of the operators rod 29 has a bearing in a brace bar 31 connected at its opposite ends to arms of the supporting frame 6, see Figure 1.

Looking at Figures 1 and 5, it will be observed that the connection between the pin 28 and the end of the lever arm 25, is in the axis of rocking, both of the tub and the crank arm 22, permittingall parts to rock in unison when the clutch pin 19 is in clutch connection with the tub.

The motor support and mechanism for imparting a rockingmotion to the tub will now be described. Supported on a pair of opposite cross-pieces 3 is a small platform 32, see Figure 7 and on this platform rests the motor, and is also supported the driving mechanism per se for the tub and the wringer. The motor 33 has a base 34 bolted or otherwise suitably secured to a shelf 35, formed with spaced downwardly extending ears 36, which have a pivotal connection at 37'with spaced upstanding ears 38 located at one end of a base plate 39, which rests on and may be secured to the platform 32. Between the base plate 39 and one end of the shelf 35 is disposed a spring 40 preferably retained in place by lugs on the base plate 39 and shelf 35, respectively, see Figure 8. The spring not only functions to relieve the ma-' chine frame of the usual jar incident to operation of machines of this character, but it also functions to tighten the drive belt between the motor and the driving shaft. as will more fully appear.

41 designates a gear housing supported on the platform 32 in which rotate thesmall pinion 42 and larger gear Wheel 43 which are in constant meshing relation. The pinion 42 is carried on a driving shaft 44 journaled in the housing, and to one end of which is connected the large belt pulley wheel 45 connected by the belt 46 with the smaller pulley wheel 47 on the motor shaft. The gear wheel 43 is carried by a counter shaft 48, also journaled in the housing 41, and to the end of this shaft is connected a crank 49, in turn connected to a pitman bar or rod 50, which extends up and has connection at its upper end to the outer end of the crank-arm 22. On the opposite end of said shaft 48 is-carried a bevel gear wheel 51, meshing with a similar bevel gear wheel 52 carried on the lower end of a vertically disposed Wringer driving shaft 53. In What manner this last mentioned shaft operates the wringer is immaterial, as such mechanism forms no part of the present invention. It should be apparent that the spring 40 tends to rock the motor supporting shelf 35 in a direction away from the driving shaft 44, and in this way, acts as a belt tightener for the belt 46 to keep it taut.

In the operation of the machine, assuming the tub 5 is filled with water and clothes deposited therein, and the motor connected to the source of power, if the operator rocks the operators rod 29. he may cause the clutch pin 19 to enter the clutch plate 17 on the side of the tub, thus connectingthe tub with the operating mechanism, which being actuated will impart movement through the pitman bar 50 to the crank-arm 22 and to the tub. The tub will be alternately rocked forward and back against the action of the springs, 20, which yieldingly hold the tub in balanced position. Rocking the rod 29 to release the clutch pin 19 from the tub plate 18 will permit the tub to remain at rest, while the operating mechanism and tub may continue to operate, in the discretion of the attendant.

From the foregoing description and drawings, it will be observed that we have constructed a very simple and compact rockable tub machine which embodies few operating parts, all capable of being completely housed within the machine frame, therefore elimi nating any and all danger of an attendant getting hurt by contact with operating parts.

What we claim is: i

1. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a rockable container, frames attached to opposite outside walls of said container, each having a supporting trunnion. and one of said frames provided with a clutch socket, a machine frame, bearings on said frame to receive said trunnions, a slidable clutch pin adapted to have connection with said clutch socket, a rocking rod connected to reciprocate said slidable pin, an operating mechanism, and Operating connections between said mechanism and said slidable pin.

2. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a rockable container, frames attached to opposite outside Walls of said container, each having a supporting trunnion, and one of said frames provided with a clutch socket, a machine frame, bearings on said frame to receive said trunnions, a crank arm, a clutch pin slidable through said arm and adapted to have connection with said clutch socket, a rocking rod 'connected to reciprocate said clutch pin, an operating mechanism, and operating connections between said mechanism and said crank arm.

3. In a machine of the character described, incombination, a rockable container, frames attached to opposite outside walls of said container, each having a supporting trunnion, and one of-said frames provided .with a clutch socket, a machine frame, hearings on said frame to receive said trunnions, a crank arm fulcrumed on one of said container trunnions, a clutch pin slidable through said arm and adapted to have con-' nection with said clutch socket, a rocking rod connected to reciprocate said clutch pin, an operating mechanism, and operating connectlons between said mechanism and said crank arm. I

4.-. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a rockable container, frames attached to opposite outside walls of said container, eachhaving a supporting trunnion, and one of said frames provided with a clutch socket, a machine frame, bearings on said frame to receive said trunnions, a crank arm fulcrumed on one of said container trunnions, a clutch pin slidable through said arm and adapted to have connection with said clutch socket, a lever arm fulcrumed on said crank arm and operatively connected*with said clutch pin, a

I rocking rod connected with said lever, an

operating mechanism, and operating connections between said mechanism and said crank arm. I

5. In a machine of the character described, in combination, .a rockable container, frames attached to opposite outside Walls of said container, each having a supporting trunnion, and one of said frames provided with a clutch socket, a machine frame, hearings on said frame to receive said trunnions, a crank arm fulcrumed on one of said container trunnions, a clutch pin slidable through said arm and adapted to have connection with said clutch socket, a lever arm fulcrumed on said crank arm and having a ball and socket connection with said clutch formed with a bifurcation, a rocking rod having an eccentrically disposed pin engag- I ing in the bifurcationof said lever, an operating mechanism, and operating connections between said mechanism and said crank.

6. In a machine of the character described-,-.

- clutch pin slidable through said arm and adapted to enter said clutch socket, means to slide said pin, an operating mechanism, and operating means connecting said mechanism and said crank arm.

8. In'a machine of the character described,

in combination, a machine frame, a rockable container supported therein, a crank arm fulcrumed in the axis of rocking of said container, a clutch pin slidable through said arm and adapted to have clutch connection with said container, a lever arm conhected to said pin whereby it may be reciprocated, a rockmg rod operatively connected with said lever in the axis of rocking of said container, and means to oscillate said crank arm.

9. In a machine of the character described, in combination, supporting legs, castings including hubs and diverging arms connecting the hubs with the legs, a rockable container, frames attached to said container including trunnions and diverging arms, said trunnions journaled in the hubs of said castings and one of said arms provided with a clutch socket, a crank arm fulcrumed on one of said trunnions, a clutch pin slidable through said crank arm and adapted to engage said clutch socket, a lever for sliding said pin, a rocking rod operatively connected with said lever, a pitman rod connected to said crank arm, and means for reciprocating said pitman.

10. In a machine of the character described, in combination, supporting legs, castings including hubs and diverging arms connecting the hubs with the legs, a rockable container, frames attached to said container including trunnions and diverging arms, said trunnions j ournaled in the hubs of said castings and one of said arms provided] with a clutch socket, equalizing springs, each connected one end to a container frame and to one of said castings, a crank arm fulcrumed on one of said trunnions, a clutch pin slidable through said crank arm and adapted to engage said clutch socket, a lever for sliding said pin, a rocking rod operatively connected with said lever, a pitman rod connected to said crank arm, and means for reciprocating said pitman.

11. In a machine of the character described, in comblnatlon, a rockable container,

' frames attached to opposite outside Walls of said container, each having a supporting trunnion, and one of said frames provided Witha clutch socket, a machine frame, bearings on said frame to receive said trunnions, a pair of equalizing springs, one end of each spring coupled to a container frame, their opposite ends coupled to the machine frame, a crank arm fulcrumed on one of said trunnions, a clutch pin slidable through said M 'crank arm and adapted to engage said clutch 15 socket, a lever for sliding said pin, a rocking rod operatively connected with said le'ver, a pitman rod connected to said crank arm, and means for reciprocating said pitman.

In witness whereof, We have hereunto af- 20 fixed our hands this 226. day of January, 1920.

JOHN LEADER. THOMAS LITWILLER. BENJAMIN E. GETZ. 

